Limos, hearses targeted in hubcap thefts

EAST POINT, Ga. - Thieves are targeting local funeral homes. Within the past two weeks, they've swiped dozens of hubcaps from the businesses' limousine and hearse fleets.

At Grissom-Clark Funeral Home, it started with the emblem off the hood of their hearse. Then two days later, the thieves came back for the hubcaps off their limousines and hearses.

"I don't know anyone who would want to go to a funeral home at night by themselves, but whoever it is a brave soul,” said Sedale Green.

That person or persons walked away with nearly a $1,000 worth of Cadillac hubcaps and hood ornaments.

“We just looked down and they were gone,” Green said.

Twelve in all, at nearly a $100 each. In East Point, Gus Thornhill had 20 stolen from his fleet of Cadillac’s. He said he's not replacing them, instead he ordered new cars.

"They won't have them on there. We eliminated that by not adding that to the fleet,” Thornhill said.

Thornhill said his vehicles move so quickly he can't keep them garaged. He says in nearly 40 years in business he's never had such a problem.

“What can you do with the plastic hubcaps?” Thornhill said.

Police said thieves make money, about $50 each they said for a used hubcap. Investigators said the thieves will sell them to second hand retailers or sell them on Craigslist. Green said his funeral home won’t be buying back their stolen hubcaps.

“We only use dealers, we don't use side markets,” Clark said.

Eight miles from Clark’s funeral home, Goolsby Mortuary said their thefts happened in broad daylight. They replaced the stolen hubcaps and then last week the newly replaced hubcaps were stolen again. All three funeral homes want to see the thieves held accountable.